Beautiful, Healthy Skin Starts Here
By Dr. Ross M. Campbell, Founder and Surgeon at Georgia Skin Cancer & Aesthetic Dermatology
The light is softer. The azaleas start to show off. Boats return to the water. Golf courses fill up. After a long winter indoors, we naturally gravitate back outside — and I love seeing our community enjoying it.
As a Mohs surgeon and the founder of Georgia Skin Cancer & Aesthetic Dermatology, I also know that spring is when sun exposure quietly ramps up. We trade sweaters for short sleeves. We stay out a little longer. And often, we forget that our skin has not seen this much sun in months.
This spring feels especially meaningful for our team because we are opening the doors to our new Lake Oconee building. After years of caring for patients in this community, we’ve created a space designed specifically around comfort, efficiency, and excellence in dermatologic care. Larger procedure rooms. Dedicated surgical suites. A calmer, more welcoming flow from check-in to check-out. It reflects what we have always believed — that your experience should feel as thoughtful as your treatment.
Spring is the perfect time to schedule your annual skin check. When you come in, I encourage you not to simply sit back and wait for the exam to end. A skin check is a partnership. The right questions can dramatically increase the value of your visit.
Here are three I recommend every patient ask:
1. “What spots on my skin concern you — and why?”
If I pause on a lesion or decide to biopsy something, I always explain my reasoning. But even if everything looks healthy, ask me to point out what I am watching. Understanding why a mole has irregular borders, multiple colors, or subtle asymmetry helps you recognize those warning signs yourself. My goal is not just to examine you once a year. It is to train your eye between visits.
2. “What is my personal skin cancer risk?”
Not all patients carry the same level of risk. Your history of sun exposure, blistering sunburns in childhood, tanning bed use, family history, and prior skin cancers all matter. So does your skin type. A retired executive who spent decades on the golf course has a different risk profile than someone who worked indoors. When we clarify your individual risk, we can tailor how often you should be seen and how aggressive we should be in monitoring specific areas.
3. “What should I be doing differently at this stage of life?”
Skin changes in our 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. Thinning skin, cumulative sun damage, precancerous spots, and slower healing are all common. The habits that worked at 35 may not be sufficient at 65. I often discuss sunscreen strategy, protective clothing, antioxidant use, and how to examine your own skin monthly. Sometimes the most important part of a visit is not what we remove — it is what we prevent.
Living near the lake is a gift. It is also a long-term commitment to sun exposure. Ultraviolet radiation reflects off water. It penetrates cloud cover. It accumulates over decades. The majority of the skin cancers I treat with Mohs surgery were not caused by one bad day in the sun. They are the result of years of small, repeated exposures.
The encouraging news is this: when caught early, skin cancer is highly treatable. That is why we built this new space. That is why we continue expanding access. And that is why I remain passionate about routine skin checks.
This spring, as you step back onto the course, the dock, or the patio, let it also be your reminder to step into our office. Ask thoughtful questions. Know your risk. Take ownership of your skin health.
The sunshine at Lake Oconee is not going anywhere. With the right care, neither is your peace of mind.
